19: Esmena

Esmena had a harder time getting down the stairs now, especially when her hip was misbehaving. But she hadn't outlived all of her contemporaries by being weak. And the house wasn't going to run itself.

All day she welcomed her guests, made sure they had everything they needed to be comfortable, and helped them select companions who would make their stay most enjoyable. And when another Enzephir (Marcoux, this one) came in, she deliberately didn't tell the young man how much he looked like his great-uncle. Instead, she simply smiled and showed him to his room.

Another day, another Imperial.